When Mark Borowiecki became the Senators’ first Ottawa-born draft pick to suit up for his hometown team in January, director of player development Randy Lee likened it to a "coming of age" for the 20-year-old franchise.

"A lot of local kids grew up with their parents as fans of the Leafs, or the Canadiens or the Bruins, because we weren’t ingrained in the culture of Ottawa," said Lee at the time. "It’s a wonderful feeling and nice to see guys aspiring to be Ottawa Senators now, because they’ve grown up as fans of the team."

It sounds as if Lee was peering five months into the future, where he would have seen Tim Murray at the podium in Pittsburgh, calling out the name of Orléans-born defenceman Cody Ceci of the 67’s.

Ceci, who watched his stock value steadily rise to sixth among North American skaters on Central Scouting’s final ranking, is a lifelong Sens fan.

He already had an official Sens jersey hanging on his bedroom wall — among his collection of 67’s, national team and OHL showcase sweaters — from an elite skills camp several summers ago.

Ceci’s selection (15th overall) marks the first time the Senators have reached into the junior talent pool in their own backyard in the first round, but selecting local players has become something of a trend under the Murray regime.

"I’m just hoping it will continue," said Brian Kilrea, who said he was "thrilled" to see the Senators select the player he drafted and helped groom into an OHL all-star.

"You take a look at a young kid coming up today in Ottawa minor hockey, the progression is, you want to play for the 67’s, and when you get good enough, you want to play for the Senators. It’s just a natural thing and I’m hoping a couple of the Ottawa boys that we’ve drafted (recently) will think the same way. It’s one of those hand-in-hand things. It’s great that Bryan and Tim (Murray) think highly enough of our players to take them."

With the 67’s occupying Scotiabank Place for the next two years, Ceci will get a good look at his future home rink.

"He’s looking to go into training camp and make a splash and make their team, but if not, he’d be with us and we’re looking forward to a great season with him," said 67’s coach and GM Chris Byrne.

If the 18-year-old is returned to junior, Ceci will be among Byrne’s leadership group, and is a strong candidate for the team captaincy.

Kilrea said while there’s no doubt Ceci got what he wanted on draft day, the Senators will be equally pleased by their selection.

"I told a couple of people before the draft, if you like Drew Doughty, you’re gonna love Cody Ceci," said Kilrea.

"He’ll be one of the top defencemen in the NHL, he’s just that good. He’s big, strong, he’s a great skater with a tremendous shot, passes the puck well, and yeah, he’s not a physical player, but he always manages to take his man out and get between his man and the puck. Eventually he’ll add that (physical) dimension to his game.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.